Don Lemon’s response to the controversy was typical Don Lemon, and by that, I mean: Tone-deaf and completely oblivious. He went on the air, held up a sign with the N-word on it, and asked “Does this offend you?” Then he basically equated the visual appearance of the N-word to the Confederate flag.

Twitter reacted like you might imagine it would: Quickly, harshly, and hilariously.

Good work internet. Clearly we can’t discuss the impact a word has and make people understand by first making sure no one ever sees or hears that word. Bonus points for totally not giving it any extra power

People are literally having that discussion. Just because you’re not a part of it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. But, if you want to defend Don lemon, good luck with that. just because you’re not a part of it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. But, if you want to defend Don lemon, good luck with that.

While people who treat the word “nigger” as though it’s the linguistic embodiment of Lord Voldemort and its very utterance will bring about ten thousand eons of tyranny are ridiculous, those Photoshops are pretty goddamned funny.

I mean, sure Don Lemon is a joke and probably the worst, but he isn’t wrong in sentiment, just in execution. The more we treat that word like Voldemort the more power we give it. It can’t be eradicated if we keep tiptoeing around it and sweeping it under the rug.